Construction cleared land impact on air quality deterioration: quantification of soil borne dustfall and suspended particulate generation

Abstract

Impact of land clearing during construction that generate dustfall and suspended particulate in ambient air is awfully obvious to observe. According to Indonesian standard as stipulated in Government Regulation (PP) no. 41/1999 pertaining to Air Pollution Control, dustfall and suspended particulate are two important parameters of ambient air quality. However, it remains a problem on how to predict the quantity of dustfall and suspended particulate that is potentially generated during construction land clearing due to lack of prediction method. In this research, a simple way to predict this number has been developed by applying mathematical expressions that are based on a series of laboratory and field experiments covering 15 soil types in Java and Sumatra Islands of Indonesia in 2013-2017. The mathematical formulas can now be implemented directly as a part of an environmental impact assessment, especially in the part of impact prediction of land clearing on air quality change. The formula consists of four parameters, i.e. soil types, local wind velocity, soil moisture content, and percentage of land cover. By inputting these four parameters in the mathematical equation simultaneously, one could directly obtain the quantity of dustfall and suspended particulate generation due to any human activity, such as construction land clearing. The quantity of the generated dustfall is expressed in [ton/km2/month], whereas the suspended particulate generation is expressed in [ug/Nm3] in compliance with the national standard of air quality, i.e. PP No.41/1999. Currently, calculation of the generated dustfall and suspended particulate could be carried out faster and even simpler by using a programmed spreadsheet containing all equations, limitations and terms of conditions that have been compiled during the last five year research campaign.